Compassion in 'Mercy Project'

Photographer collects photos for book to benefit hospice, palliative care

After photographer James Whitlow Delano lost his sister Jeanne to cancer, he wanted to repay those who cared for her at the end of her life. He sent out a letter to 50 fellow photographers, asking for an image they had taken that illustrated mercy. Mercy, he believed, best described the kind treatment that made Jeanne's final days peaceful, for his sister as well as his family.

Within days Delano received images from all over the world. His collection grew and he eventually found a Japanese publisher, Inochi, who believed in his vision. The Mercy Project/Inochi, a photographic collection that showcases the work of famous photographers and relative newcomers, was born. Proceeds from book sales go to the San Diego Hospice and Institute for Palliative Medicine or Japan Hospice Palliative Care Foundation.

Elisabeth, right, with her brother, Roberto, age 3, the baby of the Gomez-Brito family, indigenous Mayans who live in a remote region of Guatemala. Roberto is still too young to work, but within a few years he will help his family in the fields. — Photo by Jacob Aue Sobol/Magnum